CMR-27 Saga - Point 1.1: Ever more connected, even on the move (ESIM)
For satellite operators, these uses also represent a major growth driver, as TV broadcasting, once the core of their business, has been declining for several years. As a result, this has led to a proliferation in the number of radomes housing earth stations on ships and aircrafts.
Initial regulatory advances: WRC-19 and WRC-23
At the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-19), the ITU adopted technical and regulatory provisions authorising the use of 4 GHz of spectrum for communications between Earth Stations in Motion (ESIM) and FSS geostationary satellites in the Ka bands (18/30 GHz).
WRC-23 extended these possibilities to ESIMs for:
- the 12.75–13.25 GHz band (to geostationary satellites);
- the Ka bands for non-geostationary systems:
- 17.7–18.6 GHz, 18.8–19.3 GHz and 19.7–20.2 GHz (space → Earth);
- 27.5–29.1 GHz and 29.5–30 GHz (Earth → space).
WRC-27: towards extension to V bands
Item 1.1 of WRC-27 provides for further extension of the frequency bands accessible to aeronautical and maritime ESIMs, this time to the V bands (47.2–50.2 GHz and 50.4–51.4 GHz).
These extensions will apply to communications with geostationary and non-geostationary satellites, but only in the Earth → space direction.
As a matter of fact, space → Earth transmissions do not require new provisions: they are already covered by existing rules on satellite transmissions, and the protection of ESIM reception is part of the usual satellite coordination.
Multi-band and multi-orbit terminals
The interest in this development is also explained by the rise of terminals capable of operating in several frequency bands and with different orbits (low, medium or geostationary). These terminals automatically select the most suitable satellite and band based on service availability, local conditions and agreements between ESIM operators and satellite operators.
Ensuring the protection of existing services
The implementation of these new provisions will draw on the experience gained at previous World Conferences. However, it will be essential to ensure the protection of services already present in these bands, in particular:
- Earth observation by passive sensors (50.2–50.4 GHz);
- radio astronomy (48.94–49.04 GHz and 51.4–54.25 GHz);
- fixed service links.
- ESIM systems communicating with non-geostationary satellites will also have to protect geostationary networks operating in the same band, in accordance with Article 22 of the Radio Regulations.